O Pioneers!: Part 3, Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

It is winter in the prairie again, and the ground is frozen over. It seems possible that life and fruitfulness will be extinct forever. Alexandra has settled back into her old routine, receiving letters from Emil once a week. She has not seen her other brothers since Carl left and has started attending a different church in order to avoid them.

Mrs. Lee had been afraid that she would not be able to visit Alexandra’s this year, due to the family quarrel, but on the first day of December, Alexandra informs Annie that Ivar will be picking up Mrs. Lee the next day. Mrs. Lee enjoys the liberty Alexandra gives her, allowing her to live in a comfortable, old-fashioned way and to keep up her favorite habits, including a little drink of brandy before bed.

A week into Mrs. Lee’s visit at Alexandra’s, Marie calls to invite them over. Frank has gone to town for the day. Mrs. Lee wears her new cross-stitched apron, and when they arrive at the Shabatas’, Marie runs out to greet the old woman. She exclaims that Mrs. Lee’s apron is beautiful, flattering her. She asks Alexandra whether she has heard from Carl, and Alexandra replies that he got to Dawson before the river froze, but she’ll likely not hear anything more from him until spring. Alexandra adds that she has brought a bundle of Emil’s letters for Marie to read, before commenting on Marie’s perpetually rosy cheeks—the same ever since she was a young girl.

Marie asks whether Alexandra has sent out Emil’s Christmas box yet, and when Alexandra responds that she hasn’t, Marie asks to add a silk necktie she knit for him. She says that Emil should wear it when serenading the Spanish girls, which makes Alexandra laugh, since Emil hasn’t shown any interest in the Mexican women. Marie pulls out the apricot rolls she has been baking in the oven, and Alexandra compliments Marie on the variety of different breads she is able to bake, while Mrs. Lee appraises the rolls. Alexandra asks whether Marie had been crying when she called the night before, since she sounded like she had a cold, and Marie admits that she had been—Frank had been out late, and she had gotten lonely. Alexandra worries what will become of the rest of the town if even Marie gets down.

After Mrs. Lee declares that she’s tired, Marie and Alexandra head upstairs to look for some crochet patterns for the old woman to borrow. As Alexandra looks for the patterns, she comes across Frank’s old yellow cane, and Marie exclaims at the finding. She says that Frank used to be very cheerful and happy and continues to reflect, saying that he would have done better with a different kind of wife. Marie says that she is too giddy and sharp-tongued, and Frank needs someone who will think only of him. Alexandra is surprised by Marie’s frankness and changes the subject once she finds the crochet patterns they had been looking for.

After Alexandra and Mrs. Lee head off in the snow, Marie sits down with Emil’s letters, examining the foreign stamps. Marie is aware that Emil’s letters are meant more for her than for Alexandra, and she imagines the types of adventures he might be having in Mexico. Marie feels sorry that Frank can’t have those kinds of adventures any longer—she feels that she has brought out the worst in him by marrying him.

Alexandra later remembers this visit as the last satisfactory visit she has with Marie, who continues to withdraw into herself. The harsh winter weather also prevents the two friends from visiting each other very often, and it even cuts the telephone wires for three weeks. Marie turns to the church, finding more comfort in religion than ever before. She tries to be patient with her husband, but she longs for her orchard and the outdoors—she senses that deep beneath the snow, the life is still safe and will appear again in the spring.